KISS revisits ‘Phantom of the Park,’ 40 years later [Video]

40 Halloweens in the past, contributors of the KISS Military around the country accrued round their rabbit-eared TV units for what used to be intended to be the tv tournament of the yr. It used to be Hanna-Barbera’s KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, starring everybody’s favourite rock ’n’ roll ’70s superheroes — the Starchild, the Demon, the Area Ace, and the Catman — on the absolute peak in their status. However whilst the $three million NBC manufacturing, lensed through Hitchcock protégé Gordon Hessler, used to be the second-biggest TV film of the yr (at the back of Shogun), it used to be first of all despised through critics, enthusiasts, or even the band contributors themselves. And it just about derailed KISS’s profession.

The definitely abnormal delusion caper depicted the contributors of KISS miming to prerecorded hits at a Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park live performance; kung fu preventing with evil animatronic look-alikes, quite a lot of robot furries, and a mad scientist; and showing such comic-book superpowers as teleportation, thoughts keep an eye on, and taking pictures laser beams from their eyes. So after all it has now reached cult-classic standing, similar to every other how-did-this-get-made vacation phenomenon launched that yr, The Celebrity Wars Vacation Particular. And whilst KISS reportedly refused to even talk about Phantom for years, the band contributors — particularly the unique Spaceman himself, Ace Frehley — now appear to have no drawback speaking concerning the notorious flick.

“When you communicate to Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons] concerning the film, they each hate it. So far as I’m involved, I feel it’s campy, humorous — and in the event you’re a KISS fan, you’re going to benefit from the movie,” Frehley chuckles. “I by no means actually had any destructive emotions concerning the movie. I believed it used to be humorous. I laughed at one of the most scenes, I cringed at one of the most scenes, however I used to be clever and sensible sufficient to appreciate that it used to be what it used to be. It used to be only a foolish rock ’n’ roll film that used to be designed for KISS enthusiasts. I imply, it wasn’t Love Tale!”

“I’ve very blended recollections about it, as a result of we had been more or less talked into doing a movie that we had been informed [by KISS’s manager at the time, Bill Aucoin] used to be going to be a move between A Onerous Day’s Night time and Celebrity Wars, and wound up being neither,” says Stanley. “The most efficient factor I will be able to say about that movie is that folks assume we had been kidding, and that it used to be campy. However we had been severe! It simply is going to turn you when someone is within the room with you pronouncing, ‘Don’t fear, it’s gonna be nice,’ and your middle is telling you there’s one thing now not nice, that you simply will have to concentrate to it.”

Frehley admits that possibly the extra clearheaded Stanley and Simmons had been extra vital of Phantom “as a result of they weren’t loaded. Neither of the ones guys drank or did medication.” The similar may now not be stated for Frehley or KISS’s similarly hard-partying drummer and unique Catman, Peter Criss.

“I used to be loaded thru part of the film, so I didn’t even know what used to be happening part the time, however fortuitously I had cue playing cards and yeah, I used to be beautiful just right at hiding it,” Frehley remembers. “I didn’t drink an excessive amount of once I knew I had the most important scene. One of the most guys at the set used to be a cocaine broker. I’m now not going to say any names, however he used to stay cocaine in his hat and are available to my trailer. So if I had drank an excessive amount of, again in the ones days, I’d perform a little cocaine. I’m now not going to lie, as a result of I’ve been sober 12 years; we’re simplest as unwell as our secrets and techniques. So again in the ones days, yeah, I’d perform a little coke if I drank an excessive amount of, which might give me a bit pick-me-up, after which I’d be in a position for the scene.”

Frehley upload that Criss used to be so drunk on the time, Criss won’t have even learned that his voice used to be retroactively dubbed in each scene with the voice of actor Michael Bell (recognized for taking part in At hand Smurf and Lazy Smurf on The Smurfs). “I gotta be truthful with you: Peter on the time used to be as loaded as me, if now not extra, and he won’t also have recognized for some time. However I imply, the man that they were given to dub his voice used to be beautiful just right.”

Frehley additional explains how Criss struggled along with his traces on set: “Peter used to be having a large drawback pronouncing the phrase ‘talisman.’ … and it were given to the purpose the place he couldn’t say it, and I’d crack up. We did 25 takes. So in the end, the manufacturer stated, ‘Ace, you are taking the road.’ … What took place used to be after the postproduction on that movie, they learned that the issue he had with that one line, there used to be extra imperfections. And it used to be a manufacturing name; we had not anything to do with it. However they in reality changed Peter’s voice in the entire movie! I’d were actually frustrated if it used to be me, however I know the way to talk, fortuitously, although I’m from the Bronx. However you’ll be able to inform that from my accessory.”

In the beginning, alternatively, the plan used to be for Frehley to slightly discuss within the film, and simplest utter one abnormal catch word. “In the beginning it took place whoever wrote the script didn’t give me traces as a result of I didn’t take the telephone name,” Frehley laughs. “Everyone within the band used to be intended to get a telephone name [with screenwriters Jan Michael Sherman and Don Buday] speaking about what sort of character they had been, and what would they need to say. One thing like that, I don’t know. I neglected the decision, or one thing took place, and I feel they stated, ‘Smartly, Ace loves to ack.’ Vintage. So I were given the script, and everyone’s were given traces aside from me. So I walked as much as Invoice Aucoin’s administrative center, and I stated, ‘You higher rewrite this, as a result of I would like some traces!’ And so they did.”

That used to be simply one in every of a number of mishaps all over taking pictures. Stanley laughs occupied with the different occasions that each Frehley and Criss went AWOL all over filming. “I’ll inform you some humorous memories, is that Ace and Peter at that time weren’t that dependable with regards to staying on set. And they’d go away,” he says. “And actually, we’d be onstage — and we had been lip-syncing, since you play to trace — and I’d flip round to peer Peter, and there’d be some outdated guy at the drums in cat make-up. Or I’d flip round, and there used to be an African-American dressed as Ace.”

The most important snafu got here when Frehley, in a state of “drug-induced madness” and livid after he confirmed up for an early morning name time simplest to determine he “may’ve slept every other six hours,” stormed off the set, grabbed a six-pack of beer, and performed hooky on the King Tut showcase on the Los Angeles County Museum of Artwork. “I used to be strolling round with out make-up, and it calmed me down,” Frehley remembers. “So then I slowly drove again to the set, walked into the manufacturer’s administrative center, and apologized. And we made pals, and I used to be positive for the remainder of the image.” In consequence, the Area Ace used to be performed through Frehley’s African-American stunt double within the “Den of Horrors” scene, and the loss of continuity used to be manifestly, hilariously obtrusive.

40 years have handed, and Frehley has now not had any alcohol or medication of any sort since 2006. However even probably the most sober particular person would nonetheless have hassle working out KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park’s plot line. “The plot? I do not know what that film’s about,” Frehley shrugs. “However you’ve were given to have a look at it in the precise gentle. It’s now not a major movie. Paul and Gene took that film very severely.”

That being stated, Stanley and Simmons appear to have in the end discovered the humor in Phantom in spite of everything those a long time. As an example, Simmons jokes that he and present KISS contributors Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer (who will sign up for Stanley and Simmons on subsequent yr’s “Finish of the Street” farewell KISS excursion) love to cuddle and watch the film on Saturday nights. And Stanley says of the revel in, “It used to be the most efficient of occasions, it used to be the worst of occasions. … However in hindsight, other folks nonetheless like it. It’s now not what we anticipated it to be. However KISS Meets the Phantom most often brings a grin to everybody’s face.”

Frehley has actually gotten the closing snicker, alternatively. “I imply, come on, we’re superheroes. We’ve were given comedian books out. How severe are you able to take KISS? I by no means took KISS severely,” he says. “The entire curler coaster journey of KISS to me used to be similar to this jolly, loopy journey the place I’m dressed in make-up, and dressed up as a superhero, and taking part in guitar, and having amusing, and assembly gorgeous ladies alongside the way in which. I simply by no means took the article that severely, although we had been some of the best teams on the earth. And I nonetheless appearance again on it lately and I am going, ‘Wow, that used to be bizarre.’”

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